AFTA “refreshes” NTIA

THE Australian Federation of Travel Agents is set to detail significant changes to the flagship National Travel Industry Awards, including simplified award categories and a more efficient nomination and judging process.

Details are expected to be ratified at an AFTA board meeting tomorrow, after extensive consultations with members and sponsors to redesign the massive event to recognise the industry’s journey over the last two years.

Set to be hosted at Sydney’s International Convention Centre on 14 Oct, AFTA CEO Dean Long has confirmed that the total number of awards has been reduced, to provide more opportunities for the industry to reconnect “and for our new partners to entertain the 1,200 people we expect to attend”.

Two new awards based on sustainability will be introduced, while alternate entry methods may be accepted for the majority of categories, opening up the award submission process to a new formats and potentially removing the need for timeconsuming written submissions.

The 2022 industry night of nights will be “fun, entertaining and memorable,” Long told TD, with further details including major sponsorship arrangements expected to be unveiled in the coming days.